Why is multidisciplinary care so important?

Multidisciplinary care means working with a team of doctors from different disciplines. In the case of colon cancer, that team includes medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, surgical oncologists and pathologists.

Research has shown that outcomes for patients who are treated in a true multidisciplinary setting are substantially better than outcomes for patients who are treated on a more informal basis.

What makes multidisciplinary care better?

For many colon cancers, one treatment will not be sufficient. Rather than just chemotherapy, or radiation, or surgery, patients often receive a combination of all three. The sequence and timing of those treatments is critical. So it requires a collaborative effort among several doctors.

The multidisciplinary approach means your doctors spend more time talking—often before you even walk in the door. Your team also gathers formally in a meeting called the Multidisciplinary Tumor Board, where every doctor who specializes in colon and rectal cancer meets to discuss and collaborate on your care.

As a result, more experts are involved in determining the best course of treatment for you. And when it’s time for a different stage in your treatment plan, you won’t have to travel somewhere new to get it.

Most important of all: multidisciplinary care has been proven to provide better outcomes for patients with colon cancer.

Departments that are part of our multidisciplinary team for colon cancer: